I Need A Turtle Not A Hare

Whew...I am amazed at just how quickly time flies when you are having fun:)



I wasn't able to post, again, yesterday due to a crazy day filled with work and Kirk. I don't know that I ever truly realized how a caregiver, especially one with a full-time job and lots of help and support, got to the end of the day but not the end of the work.

From the outside looking in one would think it could be done. On the inside, I am wishing for three or four more hours in a day. What would I do with those extra hours? I am not really sure, probably whatever needed my attention at that moment. My ideal thought would be to get some more sleep:) Instead, I am vacuuming at 6:30 in the morning, dusting at 10:30 PM, laundry even later, worrying, loading the dishwasher, giving back and foot massages to help alleviate pain, worrying some more, going to work, chasing down prescriptions, having them filled, picking them up, and I just realized I did not shower today.....or yesterday for that fact. In my spare time I sleep and blog;)

Kirk is doing well, physically. He continues to defy all expectations of healing, which can be good and bad. Good, because he is making such huge improvements almost daily. Bad, because he pays for escalating his efforts with bouts of increased pain, especially through the night and in the morning.

I saw Dr. Paul Gardner yesterday and as soon as he saw me he asked, "How's our guy?" I told him that Kirk is doing well, working hard and had even walked a mile in one walk. He looked concerned and said, "Tell him to slow down." When I got home from work I told Kirk about the conversation. I was unprepared for the reaction from Kirk. He was deflated. All of his hard work, physical improvement and positive attitude had not impressed Dr. Gardner. Yes, he is healing so rapidly but, as Dr. Gardner told us from the beginning, "This is a marathon, not a sprint."

Prior to the beginning of our adventure, about 5 months, to be exact, Kirk started exercising. This is of great importance to our situation as his exercise regimen consisted of every six months, one day prior to the physical test he had to pass in order to continue employment as a Public Safety Officer in Orem, he would go to the nearest sporting supply store and ask the shoe specialist "Show me your fastest shoes." Without fail, the barely 16 year old "specialist" would point to a pair and Kirk would get his size and head home. No other preparations for this very important test ever occurred. He never failed the test, sometimes even improved his scores. Many of his Brethren considered him a freak of nature. No exercise outside of your normal daily routine and you make improvement? Who does that?

Back to the change Kirk made five months ago......all of a sudden he had the inspiration to start walking. He didn't start small, which may surprise a few of you. Nope. He was doing between 2-4 miles each day in the beginning, increasing almost daily to sometimes as much as 12 miles in a day. He lost 30 pounds before the crash, 10 more since then. As we look back we see the hand of Heavenly Father guiding and inspiring us to make needed changes in our life to be in the best position possible for our current situation. Can you imagine what the outcome could have been with 30 more pounds landing on that vertebrae? Would that have severed his spinal cord? Would he even be here?

Needless to say, training for a marathon is totally outside of this man's understanding. I need to find a way to help him mentally prepare, to pace himself, to not get discouraged. The last two days have exhausted him.... and me.....mentally. Something else that we need to learn. Another challenge we are grateful for.

We have been given a miracle and we will not waste it!


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